Grain-drier.



G. H. Hass.

GRAIN DRIER.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 27,' I9I4.

Patented June 1, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1HE NORPIS PFW-'ns Co.4 FHOTv-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

error,

GRAIN-BRIEF.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE I-I. Hess, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Grange Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grain-Driers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to grain-driers of the typev involving racks usually vertically disposed, for confining the grain and permitting of the passage of drying air therethrough. I

The drying of grain by the apparatus now in common use is relatively expensive as they usually involve employment of heating apparatus provided especially for use with the drying apparatus.

I have discovered that the drying heretofore performed on apparatus as hitherto provided may, in many cases, be accomplished by the action of natural currents of air when properly directed into the grain, and utilizing this principle, I have devised apparatus for drying grain which is simple and economical of construction and operates to a highly satisfactory degree to dry grain supplied thereto.

I have devised my improved apparatus for use more particularly in connection with grain-elevators, the grain in which often reaches a condition requiring it to be subjected to currents of air, the grain so treated being then loaded into cars or returned to the elevator, in such cases it being desirable that the drying apparatus be located adjacent to the elevator to avoid undue handling and, therefore, I have chosen to illustrate my invention in this connection.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a grain-elevator equipped with my improved drying apparatus. Fig. 2 is a broken view in side elevation of the apparatus, showing the adjacent wall of the elevator in section, this view being taken at the line 2 at Fig. 3, and viewed in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 3, a view in front elevation of the drying apparatus, with a portion of the front side thereof removed.

In carrying out my invention, I may provide any form of construction which will support the grain and permit the passage of natural currents of air therethrough, the grain-supporting structure coperating with deflecting means of any desirable construc- Speeicaton of Letters Patent.

rammed Jamel, i915.

Application led May 27, 191e. Serial No. 841,255.

tion, so disposed as to deflect the natural currents of air through the grain,

In the construction illustrated, the grain is supported in a manner to permit currents of air to be passed therethrough and dry the grain, in a casing, commonly known as a rack, involving a rear upright plate 5, a parallel front upright plate 6 with plates 7 of angle-shape in cross-section secured to and extending from the plate 5 to the plate 6. These plates 7 have vertical upright portions 8 and inwardly deflected portions 9, and are arranged in staggered relation, as shown, to afford openings 10 at opposite sides of the rack in staggered relation, the

grain to be dried, upon being introduced into the top of the rack, being supported on the plates 7 in the form of a zig-Zag column, whereby, air passed into theopenings 10 at one side of the rack passes through the grain and out through the openings 10 at the opposite side of the rack.

The upper end of the rack is open and communicates with a pipe 11, which opens into the elevator through the wall 12 thereof against which the rack is secured in the position shown (namely, with its openings 10 at angles to this wall) by any suitable means, as for example, the braced frame construction represented at 12a, the grain in the elevator being fed in any suitable manner to the pipe 11. Across the bottom of the rack proper is a slide-valve 13 for controlling the discharge of the grain from the rack, this valve being pivotally connected with a link 14: pivoted at 15 to a lever 16 between the ends of the latter` this lever being fulcrumed as indicated at 17 on a cross-arm 18 secured to two uprights 19 rising from the support 12, the lower end of this lever being fixed to a cable 2O extending over pulleys 21, with the free ends of the cable within reach of the operator, who, by pulling on one end or the other of the cable, opens or closes the valve 13.

rlhe rack, at the bottom thereof controlled by the valve 13, communicates with ahopper 22 discharging into a spout 23, preferably rotatably mounted in the bottom of the hopper in a manner not shown, to permit its discharge end to communicate with a pipe 24 opening through the wall 12 and into the elevator, or into a car, or the like, below the spout, the pipe 211, at its inner end,in accordalice with common practice, cooperating with grain-elevating mechanism, not shown, for

elevating the grain in the elevator. i The pivoted spout 23, When turned out of registra'-Y tion with the pipe 24, permits the rack to be drained of rain Water Without its discharging into the pipe 24.

It Will be understood from the foregoing posite side of the rack, the air thusy passing tioned, or Whether the deilecting means be through the grain drying it and reducing it to sweetened condition for returnto the elevator or discharge into a car or the like.

Anessential feature of my invention consisting t in providing deiiecti'ng means for natural currents of air, it is immaterial Whether the deflecting means ber the Wall of a building against whichY the rack is posiplates or Wings located adjacentto the rack,

and independent of the Walls of thebuilding asy Would bethe case were the apparatus `to be located in the open and away from a building.

The form vof the grain-supporting structure-is also immaterial, providedthe grain Copies-of this patent 'may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the cmmissibneeoftents,

noinical of manufacture and economical to operate, but serves in a highly satisfactory-A manner to dry grain under certain conditions.

What I claim as new and by Letters Patent is: Y l Y Grain'- drying apparatus comprising a structure having openingsinl its`4 sides and adapted to support the grain to bev dried',A

means adapted to'connect the upper end of the structure with the interior of a building for receiving grain,rand means adapted to convey the grain from the lovver endro said structure into saidl building,ysaid ,structure being so located relative to the Wallof said building thatV said Wallwill extend at the.

rear portion of said structure andl at substantially-right angles to the sides. ofthe latter and deflect natural currents of air into said openings, for the purpose set'forth. l GEORGE In presence 0f- OTTILin C'Avisns, AMY C. FISCHER.

Washington, D. G.

desirev tof secure j, 

